Life As They Knew It
by kellocfan1
Summary: It's not that Ethan left, it's that Theresa let him go. NoahTheresa eventually.


Theresa was estatic! She and Ethan were kissing.. and he wasn't pushing her away, nor was ranting on about how Gwen was his wife and he wasn't going to-

_"Theresa!" _he scolded, using all the will power he had to push her away. "Gwen is _my wife. _I am not going to leave her, nor am I going to go behind her back with some secret love affair."

"But-" she started, only to be stopped short.

"I mean it, Theresa." he said with a sigh, putting his hands over his temples in aggravation. "Here's what I'm going to do: I'm going to go home to _my wife_, tell her everything that happened, and begin looking for a new job."

"But you have a job!" she insisted. "Right here at Crane Industries. It's everything you've always dreamed of, Ethan... and everything I've always dreamed of. You and me working side-by-side."

"As I said, it's tempting.. but I'm going to have to decline." he glanced into her big, brown eyes, filled with the slightest bit of hope. "Goodbye, Theresa."

She opened her mouth to speak, but for once in her life she was at a loss for words. She watched as the man she had fought so hard for, the man she would've given anything and everything for, walked out the door. He walked past the shiny, gold nameplate withouth showing the slightest bit of remorse.

It was perfect. She had made sure of that. So how could he prefer a loveless marriage in a tiny, New York City apartment to the life he could've had with her? Co CEO of the biggest industry in the world.. A life of luxury with the one person who loved him more than humanly possible.. How?

-------

Theresa was now sitting on a bench at the pier. A single tear dripped down her face as she reflected over her life. How on earth did she become Mrs. Allistar Crane? How could she marry the man responsible for both of her brothers' deaths? To give her the advantage? To help her get Jane and eventually Ethan back? A few more tears trickled down as she realized that it was all for Ethan. She had betrayed her family for him- added a "Crane" to the end of "Lopez-Fitzgerald".. Two names that are completely incompatible.. Two names that shouldn't even be said in the same sentence, let alone the same last name.

"Hey.."

Theresa looked up to see Noah Bennett- a man who had gone to jail all because of her obsession with Ethan. She quickly wiped the tears away with the back of her hand and stood up to greet him.

"Let me guess," he said, referring to her current emotional state. "Ethan?"

"For the last time." she assured him. "He's actually moving.. to New York."

"Wow." Noah replied, digging his hands into his pockets. "And you're letting him do that? You, the head of Crane Industries.. who also happens to be hopelessly in love with the guy?"

"I've learned from experience, it doesn't take much to get a guy fired when you're the head of the biggest industry in the world.. It also doesn't take much to reverse it. Ethan and Gwen are probably boarding a plane as we speak."

"Wow." Noah said for the second time that evening. "Why the sudden change of heart?"

"You know," she started with a deep sigh. "A lot can change in an hour. Believe it or not, I'm not even the head of Crane Industries anymore." she took a moment just to stare at Noah's stunned expression. "I signed it all over to Fox," she clarified. "He's a hard-working guy, he deserves it."

"So.. What now?" Noah asked, attempting to take in all of this newly discovered information.

"What now?" Theresa repeated, perhaps asking herself that very question. "I'm not quite sure, Noah. Life as I knew it was life with Ethan. My sole purpose in life was to fight for his affection. Now that he's gone, I'm not quite sure what to do with myself."

He slowly nodded, showing more compassion with one look than Ethan did before walking out on her.

"Can I ask you something?" she said, not waiting for a response. "Why are you even talking to me? I'm the reason you were put in jail. I married a man who has stopped at nothing to destroy you and your entire family. Furthermore, I could have and nearly did single handedly destroy your relationship with Fancy.. Why are you being so nice to me?"

He paused for a moment. Why _was_ he being so nice to her? Why was he standing there, comforting her over her lost relationship, when he should be at the hospital with Fancy. "Everyone deserves a second chance." he finally replied, perhaps offering her a clean slate. "And I know that love can possess a person to do some pretty crazy stuff.."

Theresa nodded, knowing just how true that statement was.

"Look," Noah said, mentally scolding himself for spending so much time away when he said he would be right back. "I've gotta get going, but I'll see you around, Theresa. Good luck."

"Back atcha." Theresa replied with a small smile, surprised to be smiling so soon after Ethan's departure.

He waved and began walking away, and as he was doing so, found himself wondering how Theresa was related to Fancy.


End file.
